Lakers Beat The Heat To Win NBA Championship

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Lakers bulldozed the Miami Heat 106—93 to win their 17th championship, tying the all-time league record.

With a smothering defense, the Lakers came to play. The heat went down 33 points midway through the third period and never rallied to mount a comeback. Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were dominant. James played a record-setting 260th career playoff games, breaking the record held by former Lakers guard Derek Fisher. It's been a decade since the Los Angeles celebrated an NBA Championship. The victory was especially poignant, capping a painful year in which the Laker Nation mourned the loss of Kobe Bryant and his daughter in a helicopter crash.

James was awarded Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award. It's his fourth time receiving the honor. He won it the other three times as a member of a championship team -- in 2012 and 2013 with Miami and 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Only Michael Jordan has been selected for the award more, receiving it after all six of the Chicago Bulls championships in the 1990s.

“It means a lot,” James said as he was given the award. “It means a lot to represent this franchise. I told Jeanie when I came here that I was going to put this franchise back to where it belongs. We just want our respect. Rob (Pelinka, Lakers Vice President) wants his respect. Coach Vogel wanted his respect. Our organization wants their respect. The Laker Nation want their respect. And I want my damn respect.”

Lakers owner and President Jeanie Buss offered her respect.

“You have written your own inspiring chapter in the great Laker history,” Buss told the team as they celebrated their victory. “To the Laker Nation, we have been through a heartbreaking tragedy with the loss of our beloved Kobe Bryant and Gianna. Let this trophy serve as a reminder of when we come together and believe in each other, incredible things can happen. Laker Nation, when it’s safe, I look forward to celebrating with you. Until then, I will bring back the trophy to Los Angeles where it belongs.”

The Lakers were the juggernauts of the 2020 postseason, finishing the playoffs with a dominant 16-5 record. The closed out the Heat in six games.

The Lakers never trailed. The score was tied three times -- 2-2, 8-8 and 13-13. The Lakers led 28-20 at the end of the first quarter, 64-36 at halftime and 87-58 entering the fourth quarter. They held their biggest lead, 82-46, with three minutes, 29 seconds left in the third quarter. James had his lone triple double of the finals Sunday, with 28 points, a game-high 10 assists and 14 rebounds, one short of Anthony Davis' 14. Davis and Rajon Rondo each added 19 for the Lakers, Caldwell-Pope 17 and Danny Green 11. Bam Adebayo led Miami with 25 points.

Thousands gathered outside the Staples Center to celebrate, shutting down Figueroa Street and jamming up nearby 10 and 110 freeways. Los Angeles City Hall was lit up in purple in honor of the Lakers.

The Lakers had a chance to close out the Heat on Friday but lots in a tight game. Both teams made 24 2-point baskets and 14 3-point baskets Friday. The difference was at the free-throw line where Miami made 21 of 22 free throws, with Jimmy Butler going 12-for-12 en route to 35 points, while the Lakers made 18 of 21, with Anthony Davis going eight-for-eight.

The Lakers reached the finals after missing the playoffs for a franchise-record six consecutive seasons. They had missed the playoffs five times in their 65 seasons preceding the streak.

Of the 13 players in uniform for the Lakers on Friday, six were with the team in the 2018-19 season, when it was 37-45. James missed 27 games last season, 24 because of a groin injury and three to "load management."

This is Vogel's first season as the Lakers coach. The team and then- coach Luke Walton "mutually agreed to part ways" April 12, 2019, three days after the season ended.

The Boston Celtics have had sole possession of the lead in championships since 1962 when they won their sixth, their fourth in a run of eight consecutive titles. They won they 17th and most recent title in 2008 when they defeated the Lakers in six games.

The Lakers are credited with the first of their 16 NBA championships for their 1949 Basketball Association of America title, their first season in the league. The league merged with the National Basketball League later in 1949 to create the NBA.

The NBA incorporates titles and statistics from the BAA's three seasons in its records, but not the NBL's. The Lakers had won the 1948 NBL title.

The Lakers also won championships in 1950 and from 1952-54. They didn't win another until 1972, losing each of their next eight finals appearances, including four in seven games. Seven of the Lakers' finals losses during that stretch were against the Celtics.

The Lakers won their next championship in 1980, Magic Johnson's rookie season and Jerry Buss' first as owner. They added four more championships in the 1980s -- 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988.

Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant teamed to lead Phil Jackson-coached teams to titles from 2000-02. Bryant and Pau Gasol led the Lakers to championships in 2009 and 2010, defeating Boston in seven games to win the most recent one.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.

Correction: Due to a reporting error, an earlier version of this article included incorrect information about the MVP record.